Prodigal Sons
by ElGato44
Summary: A tragedy happens within the Yunoki household that sparks an intense investigation into the family's twisted secrets.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I set this story in the style of _Law and Order. _I do not own La Corda d' Oro (ki'rin no corda) or any of the _Law and Order_ shows.

A small girl of about fifteen years of age, with long flowing black hair and golden eyes walked towards her wildly traditional Japanese house, entering through the front gates. Another girl, about her age, walked with her discussing their upcoming finance tests.

"I'm telling you, Miyabi, Nakagawa-sensei's tests always have that odd question that I'm sure even the Prime Minister's financial adviser can't solve," the girl ranted staring down at her study sheet.

Miyabi slid open the screen door and removed her shoes, "Then all that means is that we have to review his lecture."

"Won't your grandmother be angry?" the other girl asked, following her classmate into the house. The matriarch of the Yunoki household was always stern, but she wasn't unreasonable when it came to having friends over.

Miyabi giggled, "No she won't mind if we are just studying. She's out tonight anyway, but I warn you my older brothers are home."

Instead the girl squealed, "Oh, I _really _don't mind."

Miyabi laughed and they walked in to the family area, "Try not to gawk at my brothers while we're studying—"

"Oh my god," her friend interrupted her as she saw the living room.

Two bodies of full grown men lay dead on the floor, blood splattered on the rice paper walls and tatami mat floor.

-_Yunoki Household, 1132 Maple Leaf Drive, Friday 8:30 p.m.-_

Detectives Kitsuma and Tomizawa arrived at the crime scene to find the front filled with press and police officers trying to hold the photographers away from the front gates of the main house that belonged to the Yunoki clan. Detective Hiroki Kitsuma was a younger detective but old enough to be very experienced. Detective Kenshiro Tomizawa was older and wiser but could also be considered a smartass. They both had dealt with murders before, but the fact that the crime scene was at a prominent household made things more difficult.

They both entered through the front gates and they immediately caught up with one of the lead officers on the scene.

"Trouble in paradise, officer?" Tomizawa asked. The officer shook his head and led them inside, "Sort of, detectives, the bodies belong to Kazuya and Yukihiko Yunoki. Older sons of Zaizen Yunoki."

The detectives stared down at the young men. Yukihiko, the oldest brother, was lying face up. He was a handsome, muscular man, a close trimmed dark beard on his face and his long dark hair tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing formal attire: a white dress shirt and a black vest, blood staining the immaculate shirt.

The other victim was Kazuya Yunoki, lying face down in his dark three piece suit. He was younger than his brother but only by a year. He too was handsome and had neatly combed shorter hair that was a dark violet color. He was skinnier than his brother but still had a solid form. His glasses were still on his face and his golden eyes were open, lifeless.

"No signs of a robbery. Looks like there was a struggle, but they were both shot. We'd have to get the medical examiner for a full report."

The officer pointed to two small girls in the other room speaking to another officer, "The youngest daughter found them after coming home from school."

Detectives Tomizawa and Kitsuma hated this part of the investigation: dealing with distraught family members. It was extra hard when a young girl was the one who discovered the bodies. Still, they had to do their jobs.

They approached the girls and more importantly to Miyabi Yunoki.

The beautiful girl's eyes were red and wet with tears. She was done crying or she was too much in shock to start bawling.

"Miyabi?" Kitsuma asked in a soft tone as he usually did with situations like these, "I'm sorry for your loss…"

The girl sniffed and nodded.

"I know it's rough, but we really need to know what happened. Can you tell us anything?" Tomizawa asked.

The girl shook her head, "My older brothers were staying here a few days before they had to fly to Moscow on business. I was just coming home to study with my friend for a test tomorrow, and that's when I saw… Who would do this?"

"Do your brothers have any enemies?"

"No, of course not! Well…I'm really not that close to them, but they are only a part of our Ikebana business…Oh god, what am I going to tell my parents?"

"Where are your parents? Can anyone take you somewhere for tonight?"

"My father's in London and my mother is courting clients in Saudi Arabia. My grandmother won't be back until later," Miyabi's voice was shaking and tears began streaming.

"Is there anyone in this household with you aside from your brothers?" Kitsuma asked.

Miyabi wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her school uniform, "Just my older brother Azuma, but he is probably back at his Academy."

Detective Kitsuma nodded and Detective Tomizawa turned to the officer who interviewed the girls before, "Stay with them until someone picks them up."

The officer nodded and took the girls out of the house.

Both detectives had the same feeling about what went on in that house.

"A noble, honest, prominent family, wealthy business, but something about this doesn't smell right." Tomizawa murmured to his college staring into the blaring lights of the flash bulbs from the cameras of the paparazzi. Kitsuma was hearing the reporters and paparazzi buzz around the Yunoki front gates.

"Every family has their secrets," Kitsuma said and walked with his partner to their police car.

-_Yunoki Ikebana Kyoto Headquarters, 10:00 a.m-_

The day after the crime occurred, Detectives Kitsuma and Tomizawa traveled to one of the Yunoki headquarters, headed by the oldest of the Yunoki's, the oldest daughter, Masako Yunoki. They found themselves inside her office speaking to the young woman. Masako Yunoki was a bombshell. She was a tall and imposing for a woman, with dark black hair tied up in a stern knot and the structured air and attitude made the detectives realize that she was the boss around here.

"So you two are working on my brothers' case, huh?" she asked and motioned for them to take a seat in front of her large desk. From where they were sitting they had a wonderful view of the Kyoto skyline through large windowpanes. The young woman sat down at her desk.

"We're sorry for your loss," Kitsuma apologized bowing his head. Tomizawa cleared his throat signaling to his partner that he was going to speak.

"But we're having trouble finding suspects. We were hoping you may have a better idea if your brothers ran into some trouble."

Masako laughed at that, "Detectives, I am the manager of all the Yunoki businesses in Japan. So it's up to me to keep people like my brothers in line."

"So your brothers have been in some trouble?"

She shrugged, "Kazuya was a financial wizard and kept consistent logs of all our assets. Yukihiko was a great salesman. He could pitch a paper clip to you and you would be tempted to by it for billions of yen. But they were a little hard to handle. Mischievous, you would say, but completely harmless."

Kitsuma and Tomizawa looked at each other. Boys will be boys, they guessed.

"What did they do?"

Masako Yunoki tilted her head back, gazing at the marble white ceiling. "Let's see…pranking some of the execs, throwing wild parties, taking customers to dance clubs. You know, the usual boy stuff. Everyone seems to adore those two, though, so I honestly have no idea who would want to kill them."

Tomizawa eased out his chair and his partner followed suit adjusting his trench coat. They both bowed to the manager, "Thank you for your time. Sorry to have bothered you."

Tomizawa took out a his card and gave it to Yunoki, "If you think of anything, give us a call."

"Yes, officers."

As the detectives strode down the halls out of the building, Kitsuma's phone rang. He answered it. Whoever was on the other line didn't have much to say as the call only lasted a couple of seconds. Kitsuma flipped his phone close; "The medical examiner's office has something for us."

-_Medical Examiner's Office, 10:30 a.m.-_

Medical Examiner Tanaka, promptly removed her rubber gloves with resounding snaps as Detectives Kitsuma and Tomizawa entered.

"Alright, doc, please tell us you have something," Kitsuma sighed.

"Maybe," Dr. Tanaka said gesturing to the bodies of the Yunoki brothers. Their skins were icy pale and rigid with dehydration, as if they spent their time in an ice storm. Well, bodies were usually stored in refrigerators, so that explained the ice crystals on their pale lips. Dr. Tanaka pointed to a deep bloody gash in Yukihiko's temple.

"This guy was hit with a blunt object, then shot in the chest."

"What killed him?" Tomizawa asked.

"Officially, the gun shot," Dr. Tanaka sighed. "But with a that deep of a wound in the temple, he would only have a couple of minutes to get medical help before he would bleed out. The other brother was shot twice: once in the abdomen and another below his chest. The second bullet pierced his lungs causing him to suffocate."

Tomizawa stroked his chin not feeling any better about this investigation, "So we know our assailant was no sharpshooter."

"Wait," Dr. Tanaka raised a finger and went over to her desk and picked up a folder, "Here's the ballistics report. It turns out the bullets came from a gun the exact make and model of one registered to the Yunoki family."

-_District 13 Precinct, 3:24 p.m.-_

"So let me get this straight," Police Lieutenant Naguchi said closing the door to her office and turning to her lead detectives. "Both brothers were shot by a gun from the house?"

"So the suspect is someone who's either from that household or knows the house very well," Kitsuma said.

"Who, specifically, was that gun registered to?"

"Zaizen, but he was in London at the time," Tomizawa answered sitting down in the chair in front of the desk, "At the very least, this narrows down our suspect list."

"Well, we need to narrow it down even more," the middle aged woman ordered in a soft, understanding tone. "Who was supposed to be in that house during the time of the murders?"

Tomizawa took out his note pad and flipped through it, "The older brothers and sister don't live at the house anymore and all the others check out. Both Mr. and Mrs. Yunoki were out of the country at the time. The grandmother was out of town. The girl was at school."

Nagushi stopped him for a second, "Wasn't there another son?"

Tomizawa flipped the page of his notebook, "Yes…an Azuma Yunoki."

"But his sister said he was at his academy at the time," Kitsuma added shrugging.

Still, the Lieutenant nodded, "Talk to the youngest son."

_-Seisou Academy, Monday 9:34 a.m.-_

The youngest Yunoki son was unlocking a locker in the music department. He, like his brothers, was extremely attractive, but in a different way. He was imposing, despite his thin, delicate stature. His long, lavender hair fell straight to the center of his upper back.

"A gun?" he said quizzically as he stood, facing the officers. The detectives had just asked the boy a few questions and the issue of the gun came up. "I never knew my father ever had a gun."

Azuma Yunoki took out a small black case and closed the locker and turned to head to the orchestra room, still resuming his conversation with officers his brow furrowed. Obviously being asked these questions the day after his older brothers were found dead wasn't settling too well with him.

"We're sorry to say, Azuma, but there is a gun registered in your father's name?"

Yunoki shook his head, "My father collects all types of weapons, mostly swords, especially ones from the ancient Middle East. He keeps those under display and lock and key that only he knows where he put it. But a gun I have no idea."

The boy casually waved to a student who said hi but returned a curious look towards the detectives.

"Sorry if it seems we're prying too much, we just really want know how the bullets from your family's gun ended in your brothers."

Yunoki stopped in front of the orchestra room door and turned around, "I wish I could help detectives, but I have no idea how that could've happened. As for the gun, you should talk to my father."

Resounding heavy bells rang out throughout the halls and Azuma glanced at the clock, "Excuse me, detectives, I have to get going."

He bowed and left through the sound proof door.

Both detectives stared at the young man through the window of the door as he descended the steps to the stage inside the room to meet up with other students with various instruments.

"He doesn't seem too broken up about this whole thing," Kitsume muttered.

Tomizawa shrugged, "I wouldn't say he wasn't broken up about their deaths. He wanted to avoid the subject. Half his siblings were killed in one fell swoop."

A/N: Let me know what you think about it. I'm starting a new batch of stories and this popped in my brain as a quick story. I was always curious about the whole Yunoki family and I really wished they would show the others. As such, their names and looks are totally mine (aside from Azuma, Miyabi and the grandmother).


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own La Corda or _Law and Order_. If I did, I'd be too wealthy to do this stuff.

-_Yunoki Kyoto Headquarters, 3:00 p.m.-_

The detectives had been looking forward to this interview. They had just gotten word that Zaizen Yunoki returned to Japan the night before and was going about business as usual. The man they were going to question was in the presentation room and it was filled with assistants placing small flowers along a long branch resting in sand. Photographers were getting ready to snap a picture of this lovely flower arrangement. A man wearing a white dress shirt and a dark suit vest stood directing some of the photographers on what angles to capture. He was tall, broad shouldered with thick muscular forearms. He had long thick, dark hair. His face had chiseled features and a light scruff on his chin and he certainly didn't look anything over forty.

The detectives approached the man flashing their badges. He stared at them with keen golden eyes that could look right though you. He turned to his assistant and told him something and the man walked off.

Zaizen crossed his arms, "Can I help you?"

Detective Tomizawa spoke softly, "We need to talk about your sons' murders."

He looked around at his workers and kept his arms crossed, "We can talk here. What is it? Have you found anybody?"

"We're working on it. But we have some developments," Tomizawa answered.

"Mr. Yunoki, do you own a gun?" Kitsuma asked.

Yunoki gave a wry smirk, "That old thing? I bought it a long time ago. You know, back when I was paranoid."

"Have you used it all?" detective Kitsuma his questioning. Yunoki responded with a shake of his head.

"A waste of money. I forgot that we lived in a safe neighborhood, but I kept the gun away from the family."

"So, no one in your household knows about the gun?"

"No one but my wife. Why?"

Tomizawa rubbed his forehead, "Mr. Yunoki, your sons were ambushed and killed with your gun."

The man's jaw clenched, the chiseled muscles bulging as if he knew what that could mean.

"I was in London…"

"We cleared you and your wife."

The man ran his hand through his thick hair.

"I have trouble believing it. Of course I have trouble believing the whole thing. My sons may have had their fun, but they knew their responsibilities."

Just then his phone rang and Zaizen blindly reached into his pocket and flipped open his phone.

"Hi, honey, I'm in the subway," was all he said before closing the phone and returning it into his pocket as if nothing had happened.

"Do you have any suspects?" he asked even though who the likely culprits were.

"We are looking into a few people at the moment. But we have a few other questions about your possessions. You have other weapons in the house? Swords?"

Zaizen's assistant approached him apologizing but holding out a clipboard of pictures. Zaizen was staring at the pictures while answering Detective Kitsuma.

"Those were gifts from some of my VIP clients. Saudi princes and princesses. Believe it or not, but Saudi Arabian royalty is one of my biggest customers. They can't get enough of our stuff. I frequently send arrangements for weddings, births, or whatever."

Zaizen pointed to the photo he was most pleased with, "That one. We are an international business—o-oh my god."

Zaizen was interrupted when his phone rang, he gave a look of mild disbelief and answered walking away shouting, "What!"

His assistant smiled, "Must be his wife. It will only be a minute."

Tomizawa shook waved his hands, "Don't worry about it. I think we're finished."

"Oh well, let me let you out, officers," he said and the detectives followed the man.

"Truth be told officers, we can't believe anyone would do such a thing to Mr. Yunoki. He's always been a kind man."

"How close was he to his kids?" Kitsuma asked wondering if the real target was Zaizen and the sons were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"He's always good to his children—well, except for one…" the assistant's voice faded and he paused.

"Which one?"

"Zaizen always wanted two girls and two boys to keep the balance. But Azuma was born. Zaizen never took well to him. But I tell you Azuma is Zaizen's mother's favorite. If you ask me, the boy has more potential than all his siblings together. Incredibly smart, but nothing he has ever done impressed Zaizen. A shame."

"Did his siblings ever treat Azuma the same way?"

"No, they always liked their little brother, even if they weren't terribly close."

"But he's still the runt of the family," Tomizawa pointed out, "What is the hierarchy here."

The assistant pause, "Let's see…technically the head of the family is the older Mrs. Yunoki, then Mr. Yunoki, but he still has some control. The only ones who control him are his mother and his wife."

Tomizawa smirked.

"Aside from that, once he and his wife are gone the head goes to Masako. But when Mr. Yunoki relinquishes command of his industry it will go to Yukihiko. He's decided to be patriarchal. From Yukihiko it goes to Kazuya and from Kazuya to…"

"Azuma," Kitsuma answered giving a knowing glance to his partner.

_-Classroom 3, Seisou Academy, 5:00 p.m.-_

"Yunoki?" the scruffy purple haired man extinguished his cigarette and turned his gaze from the window he was looking out to the detectives.

"Yeah he's one of the music competitors. And a darn a good one too," Kanazawa passed the detectives and approached the music desk. "I never played an instrument but I believe that the flute is the oldest and hardest instrument to play. Anyone with fingers can play a string instrument if they practice enough. But you have to be able to whistle in order to play an instrument like that and not everyone can whistle."

Kanazawa pulled out a list from the desk, "Yeah, the last competition he placed third. It doesn't concern me much or him. He's an honor student otherwise and very popular around school."

"What about recently? Has he been acting odd in any way?"

The competition organizer shrugged, "Nothing that I didn't equate to the fact that his brothers were killed. But yeah, he seemed distant. Depressed maybe, but not overly so. He's been playing fine. He's ready for the competition this Friday."

"Has he been practicing after school hours here?"

"Yeah, all the music students do. Competition students all have collective practice here after regular school hours. Except Fridays. I give them the day off. Some of those kids could use a break. Especially the seniors."

"Wait," Tomizawa stopped him. "You mean that Yunoki wasn't here Friday afternoon?"

"I wasn't even here," Kanazawa confirmed. "No, Yunoki got picked up from school by his chauffeur as he usually does."

_-Starbucks Café, 42__nd__ and 9__th__ Street, Noon-_

"You have the right guy," the man in uniform said walking to the sleek black car carrying a latte, "I'm the chauffeur for the Yunokis."

"And you take the two youngest Yunoki children to and from school?" Kitsuma asked sipping his own coffee.

"Only Azuma," the chauffeur asked, "Thankfully Miyabi's school is fairly close to the house. I'd hate to see what would happen to Mr. Yunoki if anything happened to his little girl."

"Did you pick Azuma Yunoki after school last Friday afternoon?"

"Of course I did. And I dropped him off a home as I usually do then headed straight home. My wife was making Italian that night," the chauffeur added with a grin.

_-Yunoki Household, 1132 Maple Leaf Drive, 10:03 a.m.-_

Officers were strewn about the Yunoki residence turning the place upside down and inside out. They had presented the Yunoki aged matriarch with a warrant, but that didn't stop her from voicing her objections.

"What is this about? Why can't you let us in peace?" the old woman complained, upset with the home invasion.

"I assure you, madame, your son's intricate collection will remain in tact," Tomizawa mumbled while looking through some drawers.

Kitsuma popped his head out from a room, "Mrs. Yunoki, whose room is this?"

"Azuma's. Why?"

Kitsuma gave a wary look and motioned for Tomizawa, "Kenshiro, you should see this."

Tomizawa walked through the hall and entered the room Kitsuma was in.

Kitsuma led him to the closet and pulled out a dark blue kimono that was stuffed in the back. He unfolded it, revealing large dark bloodstains.

"Someone has a skeleton in his closet," Kitsuma murmured and Tomizawa turned seeing Mrs. Yunoki's horrified face.

_-Orchestral Room A, Seisou Academy, 11:45 p.m.-_

The detectives barged into the orchestral room, interrupting the competition meeting.

"Sorry to interrupt," Detective Tomizawa said halfheartedly, flashing his badge to Kanazawa.

A blue haired young man looked annoyed, "We're in the middle of practice."

The detectives stopped in by Yunoki's desk, "Well, we can whistle a tune downtown."

Tomizawa placed his hands on Yunoki's shoulders while Kitsuma went around behind him and placed handcuffs on his wrists.

"Azuma Yunoki, you are under arrest for the murders of your brothers Yukihiko Yunoki and Kazuya Yunoki…"

The room was silent in shock, the competitors gaping. The detectives escorted the long haired young man up the isle, reading his rights. A student with wild green hair stood, staring at his peer in disbelief, "Yunoki?

"Call my lawyer," Yunoki said flatly, his expression blank.

A/N: This is not the end. Some twists and turns ahead. Side note: I don't know what the penal system is like in Japan, so it maybe different. I'm using the US system. Please Review.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable.

_-District Attorney's Office, 2:13 p.m.-_

District Attorney Hashiba rubbed his balding head and regarded his assistant district attorneys, Endo Tachibana and Sawako Kawamura, with aged eyes.

"A promising young boy kills his brothers to gain recognition in the family name. How very Roman," the old man grumbled. "Could you keep this whole thing under wraps? The Yunoki's have been punished enough."

Tachibana, a middle-aged dignified assistant district attorney shrugged, "We can't control what the press already knows. The people have already perceived what they want."

"Unfortunately, the Yunoki local stocks have dropped dramatically since the arrest," the young woman beside him reported.

"Eventually that will pass. Besides they still have international stocks," Tachibana argued.

The aged district attorney sighed, "Don't be so sure. Word can travel fast, even over seas. Try to make a deal so we can bury this thing."

oooooooooo

After their meeting with the District Attorney, Mr. Tachibana and Ms. Kawamura were called down to see Yunoki and his attorney. The attorney was immediately skeptical at the idea of a plea bargain.

"The notion is ridiculous," the attorney said. "You won't get anything without the murder weapon."

"I have won cases with much less. But the bloody kimono in his closet and his lack of alibi will be enough to convince a jury."

The attorney turned to his client who just shook his head. Before the attorney could respond the door barged open. Mr. Yunoki in an immaculate suit entered, looking angry beyond belief.

"What the hell is this? Why isn't he in a jumpsuit and behind bars?"

Azuma Yunoki closed his eyes and sighed. Obviously Mr. Yunoki was the last man he wanted here.

"He did it didn't he? Why is here talking, when he should be locked up for killing my sons." Mr. Yunoki glared at the attorney, "And what are you doing here Mr. Yamato. I thought I told you to back off."

Mr. Yamato shook his head and pursed his lips, "Your wife asked me to."

"My wife-?" Mr. Yunoki's face soured even more and his bit his lip. "She's out of the goddamn country, how the hell did she even know about this? Did that little runt call her?"

Mr. Yunoki pointed a powerful, accusatory finger at Azuma.

"Mr. Yunoki, I don't think you realize the severity of the situation," Ms. Kawamura said, stunned that a father would treat a son like this. "Your son could get life in prison."

"My son," Yunoki scoffed. "Good, isn't that the point of the justice system."

oooooooooo

The assistant attorneys returned back to the District Attorney's office not pleased that they couldn't make a deal.

"Was there a deal?" Hashiba asked closing the door after they entered.

"No, but I don't see how there could be," Mr. Tachibana said as he walked to his own desk.

"It took all my will power not to punch that jackass," Ms. Kawamura. "I keep on hearing that Mr. Yunoki is a nice guy, but I have yet to see it."

"He was blocking the plea?" Hashiba asked.

"Yes but not in favor of Azuma. What kind of father throws his only living son to the wolves?"

"One in tremendous emotional stress."

"You should've seen Azuma Yunoki's face when Zaizen Yunoki entered through that door. It was like he was seeing his own executioner."

"Azuma is technically an adult, he doesn't need anyone there but his lawyer," Tachibana said. "It's only unfortunate that Zaizen may have one string on that lawyer."

"The victims and the perpetrator are his sons. This whole case surrounds his family. It makes sense that he'd want to get involved," Hashiba said softly.

"With a family like that, I would snap against the pressure and anger," Ms. Kawamura said noticing that the other two were giving her blank stares. "Not that I condone what Azuma Yunoki did."

The phone on Tachibana's desk started to ring. Almost immediately Tachibana answered it.

"Hello?"

The call didn't take long and Tachibana hung up and stood.

"That was Yunoki's lawyer. He wants to talk."

oooooooo

They met with Yunoki's lawyer outside the interrogation room. Yunoki was still inside the room sitting at a desk.

"So he wants to take a deal?" Tachibana asked the lawyer hoping to end this whole thing.

"No," the lawyer answered and Tachibana thought of just walking away instead of wasting his time.

"My client has an alibi."

The assistant district attorneys waited, "Well?"

"He hasn't told me the specifics."

Ms. Kawamura rolled her eyes.

"Wait," the lawyer held up his hand, "He refuses to tell me but the least you could do is check this out."

Tachibana folded his arms, "We don't have time to go running around town seeing where he may or may not have been the night of the murder."

"But it is your job to get justice and capture the real killer. Ask his friends around school, but he wasn't at that house."

_-Seisou Academy, 11:15 a.m.-_

After asking around school Ms. Kawamura came across Kazuki Hihara. A boisterous young man, turned depressed after the arrest of his best friend. He was in an orchestra room, cleaning his trumpet.

"Yunoki? No he wasn't with me," Hihara sighed. "But how I wished he was. That would give him the clear right?"

"It would give him an alibi," Ms. Kawamura replied. "Do you know if he has any girlfriends?"

Hihara laughed and hopped off the desk, "He's certainly popular with a ladies, but he never has taken one as girlfriend as much as I know. Why, you think he's innocent?"

Hihara sounded hopeful, his eyes lighting up. Unfortunately, Kawamura couldn't confirm or deny that statement.

"We are exploring all possible avenues before we go to trial."

Running his hand through his hair, Hihara sighed, face falling, "I can't believe he did it. Yunoki was always calm, cool, and collected. It makes me feel so bad. If there was a problem at home, I should've known, and I could've stopped the whole thing."

Ms. Kawamura was satisfied with her interview with Azuma Yunoki's best friend and she had no choice but to return to the District Attorney's Office. There was no one else she could talk to, and unfortunately this all didn't help Yunoki's case. She turned the corner to leave the music department when a soft voice called her.

"Excuse me."

Ms. Kawamura turned and faced a girl with red hair, wearing a general education uniform and holding a violin case.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you the woman working on Yunoki's case?" the girl's voice wavered, clearly nervous.

"I am part of the district attorney's office, yes."

"Please, I know for a fact that Yunoki couldn't have done it."

"And why is that?" Kawamura was skeptical. She's heard this story over and over today.

"Because…because…" the girl swallowed, "Because he was with me the entire night!"

_-Kyoto Correctional Facility, 1:32 p.m.-_

The Assistant District Attorneys, Azuma Yunoki, his lawyer, Zaizen Yunoki, and Zaizen's mother, all sat down at a table to discuss something with Azuma.

Zaizen was not amused, "How long do you people plan to draw this out?"

Tachibana kept his eyes on Azuma, "As soon as your son tells us everything. We believe he was somewhere other than your house the night of the murders."

The older man leaned forward and spoke softly, but harshly, "Do you intend to tell us where you were the night of the murders?"

Azuma's lawyer turned to his client, "I highly recommend you tell them."

But Azuma shook his head.

"She told us everything, Mr. Yunoki," Tachibana said and Yunoki's face was stricken in fear.

"I can't tell you," Azuma said, his voice hoarse.

"For God's sake, Azuma, where were you that night?" the grandmother asked, panic in her voice.

"He was with female class mate the entire night of the murders," Ms. Kawamura finally said. "So, Mr. Yunoki, this means your son couldn't have been the killer. If it would please you."

Zaizen scoffed but Azuma began to fidget in his seat.

"With a girl? What were you doing with her all night?" the grandmother asked.

Azuma had had enough. He pounded his fist on the table and jumped out of his chair.

"I was sleeping with her, okay!" he yelled. "I was having an affair!"

Silence filled the room even after Azuma fell back to his seat, rubbing his eyes.

Zaizen's face turned from disdain to one of bemusement, a sickening grin on his face.

"You were having sex with a girl?" Zaizen laughed. "Wow…Azuma, I thought I had you pegged, but I'm impressed, for once. At least I know you have it in you. Tell me, who is this lovely woman that you pounded into the night your brothers were murdered."

Azuma shook his head, "Like I'd tell you." He turned his attention to the district attorneys, "This is why I didn't tell you where I was. To protect her from them."

He jerked his head towards his father and grandmother. The grandmother buried her head in her hands, "Azuma…"

Yunoki stood again, staring daggers at his grandmother and father, "Don't you dare be so pious on me. You dare scorn my actions, when what I did was no worse than god knows how many affairs he's had."

Zaizen's glaring expression didn't falter. Azuma continued, "Dare I wonder how many sexual favors mother had to do in order to get more clients."

The young man turned to the district attorneys, "My brothers were nice guys, but that didn't stop them from doing drugs and having orgies in their penthouses. It's no wonder my older sister has a drinking problem."

He turned back to his grandmother and father, teeth grit in anger, "And I'm the one who has to make up for their mistakes. MY GOD, the only decent one in our family is Miyabi!"

Azuma Yunoki sat eased down in his chair and began rubbing his temples, "The only difference between me and my family's lurid affairs, is that I really, really like this girl. And we do more than just have sex. We talk, play music, laugh."

He rested his hands on the table and breathed in.

"But there is no reason why I would want any of my family dead. Before my brothers died, I at least a little freedom, all the attention was on them, but now…. every move I make is under an electron microscope."

_-Distict 13 Precinct, 4:00 p.m.-_

"This is the first time I ever heard of a secret affair saving someone's life," Tomizawa chuckled as he leaned back in the chair at his desk, hanging up his phone. Kitsuma stood and put on his trench coat, "If he wasn't at that girl's house, he could've been killed as well."

Tomizawa put on his own trench coat, ready to hit the streets. Lt. Naguchi walked past them with a file in her hands. placing it in a filing cabinet, "Well this means we're back to square one."

"Yeah, we're rechecking all the alibis," Kitsuma said.

"Have fun," she nodded them off but stopped. The detectives turned finding a young man in a Seisou general education school uniform with long blonde hair standing there looking nervous and scared. "Can we help you?" Kitsuma asked.

The boy swallowed, his voice quaky, "I have information…about a murder."

A/N: Just so we are clear, the girl is Hino if you all haven't guessed. Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you may recognize.

_-District 13 Precinct, 4:00 p.m.-_

The detectives stared at the boy wondering if he was serious.

"I may know who killed the Yunoki brothers," the blonde young man said, voice quivering.

Detective Kitsuma glanced back at Lt. Naguchi before turning back. He waved the boy over.

"Come on, let's talk somewhere else."

The young man nodded and cautiously followed the detective. Detective Kitsuma opened the door to an interrogation room.

"Before we get started, may I get your name?"

"Aoi Kaji," the boy answered cautiously sitting in his seat looking around nervously.

"Hey, kid, relax. This isn't an interrogation. I just want to know what you know."

"O-okay," Kaji took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. So sorry."

"It's okay, just tell me."

Kaji rubbed the bridge of his nose trying to stem the tears from escaping his eyes. It was obvious he hadn't gotten a lot of sleep in recent days.

"Before the murders, I was at a ramen shop downtown. I heard two men talking about the Yunokis. But they weren't…they weren't….they weren't talking good things about them. And then I heard them discussing things about their house. I didn't pay too much attention until they were talking about making 'it look clean.' And they said something about a gun…or something…"

"Hold up, a gun?"

"Yeah," Kaji nodded, "I didn't hear much of the specifics."

"Why didn't you call the police? All this… could've been prevented."

"I know!" Kaji cried, his eyes watering. He sniffed. "I was too scared, man. I was scared. They caught me listening in on them and I just left. I'm sorry. I know I should've told you guys. I've been keeping it in hoping that I misheard them. Then I saw the news…"

Kaji put his head in his hands. Kitsuma stood, "Hold on, I'll get you some water."

Kitsuma stalked back out to the water cooler. Tomizawa leaned on the cooler, "Sooo, do we have a winner?"

"Even though the kid's a nervous wreck, we may have something. I'm going to give him a break, to collect himself."

"I'll join you for round two."

They gave Kaji some water and a few minutes to calm down. The kid seemed anxious as he shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Lt. Naguchi was observing his behavior behind the double mirror.

"What's this kid afraid of?"

Kitsuma shrugged, "He says the suspects caught him listening in. That's why he didn't let the police know until now."

"Either that or a guilty conscious," Tomizawa grumbled sipping his own water.

"It may be a matter of both. He's all we got so don't blow it."

Tomizawa and Kitsuma entered. Immediately Kaji panicked when Tomizawa entered, staring at him with big glassy eyes.

"Kaji, this is Detective Tomizawa. He's just here to listen to what you have to say."

"Officers," Kaji said softly, "I know I should've told you all about this. But after Azuma Yunoki was arrested, I knew I had to suck it up, and tell you. To get this off my chest."

"It's fine kid, now do you know who these two men were?" Tomizawa said.

"I don't know their names, but I've seen them before. They're investigators in the private sector. You know, PIs. My dad's used them before."

"Private investigators? For what?"

"Not anything you're thinking of. He was part of a house committee and the committee hired these guys for some investigative work for homeland security."

"So, your dad's a representative? What's his name? We're going to need to contact him."

Aoi Kaji gave the officers his father's information. The detectives asked him a few more questions regarding the suspects and for clarification. Once the detectives were done, they led this young man back out.

"You did a great job," Kitsuma said, giving Kaji a reassuring pat on the shoulder. The boy nodded but stood in his tracks.

"Yunoki?"

The youngest Yunoki son, recently released from prison, resolutely made his way towards Kaji and the detectives.

Tears leaked from Kaji's eyes and he started blabbering, "Yunoki, I'm so sorry. I never meant for all this. I was scared."

Yunoki didn't pause from his stride, "You son of a bitch!"

Azuma Yunoki smashed his fist into Kaji's jaw. Immediately the detectives got between the two. Kitsuma restrained Yunoki, struggling as Yunoki fought back yelling, "It wasn't enough you had to humiliate me in front of my friends! You had to ruin the rest of my life!"

"I'm sorry!"

Kitsuma pulled Yunoki to the side, dragging him into the nearest interrogation room.

"Settle down before I lock you up for assault."

Yunoki didn't sit down in the seat, but he rested his hands on the table and breathed in, his arms shaking.

"You will sit here until you settle down," Kitsuma said and Yunoki sat down in the chair. He clasped his hands together so tight, the veins and tendons could be seen in his hands. He brought his head down to his hands.

Kitsuma sighed, "Kaji has some information that could lead us to the real killers."

Yunoki didn't respond right away, but when he did, his tone was bitter, "What difference does it make? My brothers are dead. The damage has been done."

Kitsuma knew that Yunoki must've been referring to his family's business and reputation. Namely his own reputation has been smeared, probably for life.

"I understand your family is a little hot with this whole thing. Do you have anywhere you and your sister can go tonight?"

Yunoki raised his head, thinking, "There's probably a few places."

Yunoki eased out of his chair calmly, "I think I'll leave now. Is that alright?"

Kitsuma opened the door of the interrogation room, letting the young man out. The detective followed him out of the precinct, namely to make sure he didn't attack anyone on the way out.

_-Office of Representative Shuichiro Kaji, 2239 51__st__ Street, 10:00 a.m.-_

"Yes, the committee I was in employed some private investigators," Representative Kaji said taking his seat, answering the detectives' inquiry.

"We think that a few of the private investigators were involved in the Yunoki murders," Tomizawa said.

"That surprises me," Kaji said in a matter-of–fact tone. "The government carefully screens everyone in its employment."

"We need some names just the same," Tomizawa wasn't in the mood to play around with politics. He received a dead stare from Kaji, before the representative raised a finger in thought, "The last investigation we were dragged into involved the Yunoki assets."

The detectives glanced at each other, but Representative Kaji continued, "Ever since the Western world's ongoing battle in the Middle East started, the U.S. and English governments pressured our government to investigate any suspicious activity to and from anywhere in the Middle East. The Yunoki's had several shipments to and from Saudi Arabia and Egypt and several visits there. We hired two screened, licensed and qualified private investigators to investigate their activity. They reported several results and we gave them a warrant to search their house to seize any suspicious items. The investigation went so far that they physically searched many containers coming from overseas that were for Zaizen Yunoki. The PIs called back up, we sent agents and bomb squads to open the crates. You know what they found?"

Kitsuma shrugged," What?"

Kaji laughed, "African masks. Gifts from the Nigerian, South African, and Kenyan constituents. Some of them from the governments. The PIs and the committee were humiliated because they jumped the gun. It was all over the news. We never found anything to suspect the Yunokis of anything compromising, so the committee had to give them a formal apology."

"So Zaizen Yunoki embarrassed you in front of the taxpayers. They own a flower arranging company not a weapons manufacturer," Kitsuma said.

Kaji shook his head, "They didn't embarrass me, specifically. Everyone was embarrassed, but mostly Hito Kawasaki and Inoue Nakamura, the PIs. They were fired shortly after."

"You said they seized a few things in their investigation. Did they document them at all?"

Kaji got up and went to his file cabinet, opening the bottom drawer, "Yes they had to file reports of everything they found."

He took out a large file, setting it on his desk and flipped through it, "Everyone in the committee got these reports to determine any decisions."

Kaji handed Kitsuma a stapled packet of papers. Kitsuma scanned the contents of the reports.

"Personally, I wasn't enthusiastic about being a part of this committee, but I figured I had to get more involved in governmental affairs at some point."

Kitsuma tapped his partner's arm, "Look what we have here."

He pointed to an item listed and Tomizawa raised his eyebrows.

_-Office of Kawasaki and Nakamura Investigations, 1443 67__th__ and 5__th__ street, 6:00 p.m.-_

The suspects weren't at their office when the police arrived to execute the search warrant, but their secretary was more than happy to help. The police searched every place in the office and came up with nothing.

"Well, these guys are investigators. They would know how to clean up," Tomizawa said almost giving up. He turned to the secretary, "Do your bosses own any guns of any kind?"

The secretary shook their head, "Not that I know of."

Kitsuma noticed that the trash bins near the suspects' desks weren't that full.

"Where do you guys put your trash?"

"Out in the back," the secretary said nodding over her shoulder. "The garbage collectors picks up every Friday."

The detectives glanced at each other before pulling two officers to check the garbage. The officers dug deep, digging through ramen, newspapers, magazines and other assortment of innocent things. An officer found a lump of paper towels all wadded up. She peeled the sheets apart, "Detectives…"

The two detectives turned to her as she held the gun sideways, showing it's shiny but stained barrel.

Tomizawa smirked, "Looks like they're not as smart as we thought."

_-32__nd__ street, 11:44 a.m.-_

Detectives Kitsuma and Tomizawa were in their unmarked car in a stake out. The radio in their car buzzed a few short messages from other officers involved in the stake out. They confirmed that everyone was in position before they played the waiting game. Kawasaki and Nakamura were having lunch in a Thai restaurant and they should be finished anytime now.

Then two men came out of the restaurant: a middle-aged man with a trimmed beard and a younger thinner man with messy auburn hair.

"There they are," Tomizawa murmured as he left the car and Kitsuma followed. They kept their eyes on the suspects as they walked down the street. Tomizawa and Kitsuma stopped in front of them.

"Nakamura and Kawasaki?"

The younger man stopped, "Yeah…?"

The detectives were about to show their badges when the bearded man quickly turned and ran. Immediately Kitsuma took off after him while Tomizawa retained the younger man and radioing the other officers, "We have a runner."

The running suspect was fast but Kitsuma was younger and had longer legs. The bearded man slowed enough when he almost ran into a woman carrying groceries. Kitsuma grabbed the man's collar and pinned him to the side of a building, taking out handcuffs and slapping them on the man's wrists. Immediately, the man growled, "I didn't do anything. I'm on your side…"

Kitsuma scoffed, "Yeah nothing says that like running away from an officer. You're under arrest for the murders of Yukihiko Yunoki and Kazuya Yunoki…"

_-District 13 Precinct, 12:15 p.m.-_

The suspects, once they reached the precinct, were put in separate rooms. Kitsuma was with the older investigator, Hito Kawasaki.

"Mr. Kawasaki…why did you run from the police?"

"I'm not saying anything without a lawyer," the bearded man spat.

Kitsuma shrugged, "Suit yourself, but we do have enough to put you in for the rest of your life."

He pulled out some photos of the dead brothers and slowly laid them on the table.

"What did you have against these fellows?"

Kawasaki didn't answer but he showed little remorse when it came to the victims. So he laid the photo of the gun in between the two.

"Here's the kicker, Mr. Kawasaki," Kitsuma sneered. "For private investigators you sure have no experience in cleaning up murders."

He waited for a response. Kawasaki said nothing, but he pursed his lips staring at the weapon.

"Yunoki's weapon. It's still in the lab, but I'm gonna bet that your fingerprints are going to be all over it."

Kitsuma sat down in the seat across from the suspect.

Kawasaki cocked his head and snarled, "That's all you cops do. You spit on us private investigators, just because we don't work for the federal government."

Kitsuma raised a finger, "Ah, but you did didn't you…"

Kawasaki turned his head away, "I'll say nothing until my lawyer gets here."

Kitsuma walked out of the interrogation room and met with Tomizawa who had just finished interrogating Nakamura.

"He's sealed tight," Kitsuma sighed. Tomizawa rustled his own hair, "The young one is too. He wants a lawyer."

Lt. Naguchi approached her inferior detectives, "Let's hope they don't have the same lawyer."

Tomizawa smirked, "I won't let that happened."

He went back into the interrogation room. Inoue Nakamura took the defensive immediately, "I told you, I'm not saying anything until I get a lawyer."

"That's fine," Tomizawa grumbled passively," I'm just here to give you advice."

"On what?" Nakamura was skeptical.

"I know what it's like to have a partner. You lean on each other hoping you'd back each other up when things go down. That's what partners are for right?"

"Yeah…"

"Am I willing to bet you two are going to hire the same lawyer."

"If it can be arranged."

Tomizawa tisked, "You see, now that is the one thing you don't want to do."

Nakamura looked worried.

"We have enough on both of you to put away for life. Any lawyer can see that. They will try to save the less guilty and leave the other to the wolves. Are you willing to take the risk of your partner and lawyer to leave you high and dry?"

Nakamura looked uncomfortable.

"The best way you can ensure that you get the best representation is to get a lawyer that is not involved with your boss over there."

The suspect didn't say anything but he looked down on the table. It was clear that he was seriously thinking about the advice. Tomizawa was satisfied and he left the room.

He approached the other two, smiling, "Well, I got what I wanted. Now it's the DA's turn."

_-Kyoto Correctional Facility,_ _10:58 a.m.-_

District Attorneys Tachibana and Kawamura met with Inoue Nakamura and his lawyer in a private session inside the cells.

"This better be good, Mr. Tachibana," the lawyer said standing.

"It can be. Depending on what your client has to tell us."

Nakamura was about to say something, but his lawyer cut him off, "He's got nothing to say."

"I'd rethink that," Kawamura said holding up a series of papers before flinging them on the table.

"What is this?" the lawyer said glancing at the papers.

"Reports on what your client and your partner seized-or rather-stole from the Yunoki's."

"The government authorized us to-" Nakamura cried but his lawyer cut him off again.

"Not another word."

"A gun is on that list," Tachibana said pulling out a photo of the murder weapon and placed in on the table, "The same gun used to kill the Yunoki brothers. The same gun found in your dumpster, with you and your partner's finger prints on it."

Lawyer's jaw clenched.

"If you are willing to tell us all that had happened that night we may show lenience when it comes to sentencing. If he testifies against his partner."

The lawyer began whispering in his client's ear. Nakamura nodded. The lawyer turned his gaze to the district attorneys.

"How much leniency?"

_-District Supreme Court,_ _Trail Part 7, 2:31 p.m.-_

The courtroom was quiet and the prosecution's star witness was on the stand. Inoue Nakamura, dressed in a suit, sat behind the witness stand. Prosecution attorney Tachibana approached.

"Mr. Nakamura, would you please tell the jury what happened at the time of the murders?"

"My partner and I were private investigators hoping to get some recognition in the federal sector as legitimate investigators when a federal committee asked us to look into the Yunoki's assets. They had some suspicious deliveries that the Homeland Security committee wanted investigated. We thought we had them, but it turned out to be all speculation. In the end, we became the laughing stock of the entire country. Our commissions dropped and the business suffered. All because the Yunoki's embarrassed us."

"The night of the murders, please, Mr. Nakamura."

Nakamura nodded and took a deep breath, "Kawasaki wanted to scare the Yunoki's. Damage their credibility. We had a gun that we seized from the Yunoki's house during the investigations. We returned all their possessions but that. I thought nothing of it afterword because they never inquired into a missing weapon. Kawasaki had the gun, hoping it wouldn't be traced to us. All I had was a crowbar, but it was supposed to be shoot and then done."

Tachibana began pacing listening to the testimony, "When you got to the Yunoki household, what did you two do?"

"We climbed over the fence and snuck through a sliding door that wasn't locked. We found one of the Yunoki brothers sitting in the main room. Kawasaki told me to sneak up behind him. I did, but I made a noise and he turned. I panicked and I hit him in the head with the crowbar. I thought he was knocked out, but he got up and grabbed the crowbar. Kawasaki shot him. The other brother must've heard the shot and he entered the room. Kawasaki shot him twice."

"Then what?'

"We had blood on us so I found a kimono laying nearby and wiped ourselves off and then I hid it in a closet in one of the rooms. Kawasaki and I didn't stay much longer so we left."

Nakamura's eyes were misting over as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "As far as I was concerned we never meant to kill those brothers. We were after him."

Nakamura raised a finger and pointed to Zaizen Yunoki sitting behind the prosecution table. The man returned with a stare as cold as ice. His only son sat on the same bench a few feet from him, next to his younger sister and girlfriend. The young man's jaw was clenched tight, a blank stare in his eyes.

_-District Supreme Court, 4:19 p.m.-_

After the jury returned, the head juror remained standing while the others seated themselves. The judge peered over her stand, "Has the jury reached a verdict?"

The head juror nodded, "We have, your honor."

"In the first matter of murder in the first degree, how do you find?"

The head juror read from his paper, "We find the defendant, Hito Kawasaki, guilty."

The courtroom let out their breaths in soft gasps. Kawasaki shook his head in defeat.

The judge continued, "In the second matter of murder in the first degree, how do you find?"

"We find the defendant…guilty."

People in the courtroom rose from their seats and left through the back doors. The bailiff took Kawasaki and they left through a smaller door on the side of the courtroom. Tachibana glanced back at Zaizen Yunoki. Even though Tachibana felt the pride of victory, Zaizen didn't look at ease. He looked enraged and sad at the same time. He stood and bowed to Kawamura and Tachibana in thanks and then left the courtroom.

Azuma Yunoki remained seated with his girlfriend, Kahoko Hino, her hand holding his and her other one rubbing his shoulder in a comforting gesture.

000000

At the end of the day, the district attorneys closed down their office. All three of them put on their coats, and Hashiba turned off the lights.

"This certainly is one for the books," he murmured leading his inferiors down the hall to the elevator.

"There's one thing I don't understand," Kawamura said her voice filled with weariness, "Zaizen Yunoki wins because he gets justice for his sons. Kawasaki has a minor victory in affecting the Yunoki stocks. Where's the win for Azuma Yunoki? He's going to be in charge of a company he doesn't want, under all kinds of pressure from society and his father."

All three entered the elevator, Tachibana sighed, "On the bright side, Azuma Yunoki may be the best thing to happen to that clan in a long time."

Hashiba shook his head pressing the ground floor button of the elevator.

As the doors closed, he grumbled, "A reluctant prince…"

A/N: There's the end. But please review anyway. I love reading them.


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